Blood Sugar and Fitness Training Guidelines

I wanted to touch base on the importance of monitoring your blood sugars when it comes to working out. Considering going too low or being too high to properly function and receive the full benefits of your training should be top priority before hitting the gym.

Consider these general guidelines relative to your blood sugar level — measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L).

Lower than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L). Your blood sugar may be too low to exercise safely. Eat a small carbohydrate-containing snack, such as fruit or crackers, before you begin your workout.

100 to 250 mg/dL (5.6 to 13.9 mmol/L). You're good to go. For most people, this is a safe pre-exercise blood sugar range.

250 mg/dL (13.9 mmol/L) or higher. This is a caution zone. Before exercising, test your urine for ketones — substances made when your body breaks down fat for energy. Excess ketones indicate that your body doesn't have enough insulin to control your blood sugar. If you exercise when you have a high level of ketones, you risk ketoacidosis — a serious complication of diabetes that needs immediate treatment. Instead, wait to exercise until your test kit indicates a low level of ketones in your urine.

300 mg/dL (16.7 mmol/L) or higher. Your blood sugar may be too high to exercise safely, putting you at risk of ketoacidosis. Postpone your workout until your blood sugar drops to a safe pre-exercise range.

Today, i woke up with a high blood sugar reading thinking "How is this possible? The last thing I ate was 6 hours ago and it was 1oz chicken breast, plain and a handful of green beans" so I changed my site: figured that the blood in my cannula wasn't a good sign, corrected myself with insulin and off to tabata I go! After the class I tested my blood sugar in hopes of being in the 90's or 80's since it was time for meal 2 but no.

My blood sugar was 505 after a HIIT workout. I noticed I wasn't as sweaty and was feeling lathargic and unable to follow through with the moves when I should have!

When your blood sugar is too high that means you are getting too much glucose with no way to break it down until you can correct your levels with insulin (our fat storing hormone) which is when your body stores all of the extra glucose as fat. This can cause concern to those like me and you, who are looking to get into super fit shape!

Now, once in a blue moon, we are obviously going to get a scary, elevated glucose level that requires a boat load of insulin. The ups and downs of those kind of corrections can really take a toll on the body. However, keeping

Your blood sugar as stable as possible and requiring the smallest amounts of insulin that your body needs with keep you from having to over correct the scary numbers or over eat when it comes to the low numbers.

I suggest eating smaller, balanced meals throughout the day (helps keep blood sugars from dropping too low) and eating the cleanest foods as possible. Complex carbs, grass fed proteins, organic produce. The fewer additives the better! Your body doesn't know how to break down chemicals and GMO's and it's not worth adding the extra confusion to a diabetics blood stream.

In a nutshell: we aren't perfect. Stay on track! Don't let a bad reading get in the way or your health and fitness goals!